Decorated fabric and process of producing the same



June 25,l 1929. R v BRETT 1,718,409

DECORATED FABRIC AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Nov. 2:2i 192765 J6 5 l 9 J6 6 J l o lig M ATTORNEY` Patented June 25, 192,9.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT V. BRETT, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed November 22, 1927. serial No. 235,071.

This invention relates to a decorated fabric and process of producingthe same.

The invention primarily aims in the production of a decorative pilefabric, such as reversible cotton chenille Wash rugs, of eX- ceptionalfastness to washing and light and preferably of the throw type, termedRugetts suitable for informal rooms, bath-rooms, sunrooms,breakfast-rooms, bedrooms and halls, but it is to be understood that a.process of decorating yin accordance with this invention may be employedfor decorating any character of fabric for which it is found applicable,and the invention has for its further object to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, for enhancing the appearance of a fabric byproviding the latter with a fixed design standing out in relief withrespect to the remainingportion of that surface of the fabric acted uponand with the design in color or colors and of a shade or shadesdifferent from that of the surface of the fabric upon which the designis placed.

A further object of the invention resides in the decorating of anoriental chenille-piled rug or other pile fabric by simultaneouslydischarging a developed ground color by printing thereon a design formedfrom a vat dye color and further in treating that surface of the fabricupon which the design is applied to provide for the design to stand outin relief.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofthe novel steps hereinafter more specifically described to set forth anembodiment of the process, but it is to be understood that changes,variations and modifications can be had with respect to the severalsteps of the process which fall within 40 the scope of the claimshereunto appended.

An example of a decorative pile fabric produced in accordance with thisinvention and the appearance of the fabric during certain steps of theprocess are illustrated by the 5 accompanying drawing and in which-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a decorative.

pile fabric in accordance with this invention. Figure 2 is a section online 2-2 Figure l. Figure 3A is a top plan view of the fabric 5oprovided with a developed ground color.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 Figure 3. Figure 5 is a top plan viewof the fabric "havin a portion of the pile compressed and provi ed witha vat dye color.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6 6 Figure 5. The application of aprocess, 111 accordance with this invention is set forth by way ofexample for decorating Rugetts.

Rugetts are woven on single looms, a simple straight process of chenilleweaving, the special processed oriental chenille yarn, of naturalundyed, unbleached', long staple cotton, being woventhrough and throughour standard eight ply cotton warp threads, these warps being in count,nine and onehalf warps to the inch. I

The loom is thus threaded with the warp, and, leaving from two to threeinches of the warp, (which later will become the fringe of the Rugett)we thread the shuttle with our standard eight ply weft threads, theshuttle then being shot back and forth through and through the warpthreads, thereby weaving in these weft threads until from one-half, toone inch of webbing has been formed.

Then the oriental chenille piling replaces the weft threading, in theshuttle, which is in turn shot through and through (meaning over andunder every. alternate warp thread) and beaten up closely to thepreceding chenille yarn, by means of a comb beater, until the desiredlength of that particular rug is woven.

The weft threading then replaces the oriental chenille pilingy in theshuttle, and a webbing of one-half to one inch` width, (conforming tothe width of the webbing at the opposite end of the Rugett) is woven. f

Then from ve to seven inches of just the warp threads are left (whichlater becomes the fringe on this end ofthe Rugett, and also the fringeon the first end onf the Rugett neXt following in process of weaving). y

Then from one-half to one inch of webbing is shot across as the start ofthe next Rugett, the width of this webbing, depending on the size of theRugett, which may be 24 X 36, 24 X 48, 27 X 54, 30 X 60 or 36 X 72 insize measuring from tip of fringe to tip of fringe. Then the chenillepiling is again shot across until the desired length of that Rugett, hasbeen woven.V

Thus the weaving proceeds, until a continuous strip of Rugetts has beenwoven, twenty-one lineal yards in length regardless of the width of theRugetts, at Which time, another strip is started.

After the strip of Rugetts has been formed,

it is treated in a manner as now set forth to decorate the same by aprocess 1n accordance Y with this invention.

In all of the following formulae, the percentages quoted, are based onthe weight of the material or goods to be processed. And where referenceis made to parts in the various formulae, it is invariably understood tomean, parts by weight.

As the twenty-one yard vstrip of Rugetts comes from the loom, the strip.is rolled on a steel'bar, which bar is placed on extension arms at theend of a boil out vat, and unrolled by means of a motorized winchoperating immediately over the vat;

The boil out vat, is provided with open steam coils in the bottom forheating the solution, forming the boil out bath, which is composed 'ofwater (chemically softened) twenty live times in volume, the weight ofthe material to be boiled out, 3% of soda ash, and 5% of soluble oil,which may be sulphinated. castor oil, monopole oil, rlurkey red oil, orany other suitable boil out compound.

The solution is then brought to a boil, and the strip ot Rugetts, theends of which are joined over the winch, are drawn through and throughthe liquor, by the action of the winch, for from one to one and one-halthours. y

This boiling out process removes any foreign matter and any surplusamount of natural oil from the iibre, and prepares the libre for thebest possible impregnation of the dye pigment, applied in the dye bath,to follow.

Alfter being boiled out, the strip of Rugetts (without being rinsed) issqueezed through (between) two soft rubber rollers, into a dye vathaving open steam coils in the bottom and with the vat lined with anacid resisting material capable of being readily cleaned.

The dye vat has open steam coils in the hottomior heating, so that whenrunning a light tint, after running a dark shade dyeing there will be nobleeding of the color of the latter, into the new dyeing, 'from the vatitself.

` rllhe strip is entered in a dye bath composed o water (chemicallysoftened) 25 times in volume the weight of the material, 1/2% to 8% ofdeveloped dyestud pigment powdered, 10% to 20% common salt, and 2% to 5%soluble oil. j

` As in the boil out bath, any;l good soluble oil such as monopole oil,Turkey red oil, orsulphinated castor oil, may be used in the dye bath.

The material is entered in this dye-bath at 140 F., being drawn throughthe liquor by a motorized winch attached to and immedi ately above thevat. The liquor is then brought to the boil, and boiled for forty tiveminutes, then allowed to cool Jfor titteen minutes. After the strip hasboiled and cooled, as stated, it is squeezed between soft rubber rollersand subjected to a rinsing bath of cold water, after which it is passedbetween squeezing rolls, of soft rubber and entered into a vatcontaining a diazotizing bath, composed of water chemically softened 25times in volume the weight ot' the material, 11k/2% to 3% nitrite ofsoda, and 3% to 5% sulfuric acid (66 Be., or 168 Tw) This diazotizingbath must be cooled and kept at 40 to 50 F., and the material drawnthrough the bath, by means of a motorized winch for fifteen minutes.

The str-ip is then thoroughly rinsed, and then squeezed between softrubber rollers and entered into a vat containing a developing bathconsisting of water chemically softened 25 times in volume the weight ofthe goods and 1% beta napthol orother suitable developer, previouslydissolved with 1% caustic soda dissolved in-l to 2 gallons ot water.

rlhis developing bath must be cooled and kept at 40 to 50 F., and thegoods drawn through the bath by the winch for fifteen minutes. rlhegoods are then thoroughly rinsed, squeezed out and dried.

The strip is then laid out full length on a padded printing table,stretched taut and the designslblock printed thereon with vat colorsmade up into what will be known as Dyett, a printing paste combined witha vat dye. The printing paste consists of the tollowing ingredients.

645 parts (by weight) British gum 6% or gum tragacanth (6%) 130 parts(by weight) potassium carbonate 45 parts glycerine (commercial) 180parts suloXite C. (1 1) or hydrosulphite A. W. C. may be used here.

ylhe potassium carbonate is dissolved in I the gum and glycerine at 180F. Cool and then add the sulfoxite C. or the hydrosulphite A. W. C. orwhen printing black, a black vat dye is combined with a paste consistingof 400 parts (by weight) British gum 6%, gum gragacanth 6% or gumsenegal 17 5 paits by weight) water 190 parts by weight) potassiumcarbonate.

45 parts (by weight) glycerine (commercial) l 190 parts (by weight)sulfoXi-te C., or hydrosulphite A. WV. C. (dry).

Dissolve hpotassium carbonate in the gum, water, and glycerine at 180 F.Cool to 140 F. and dissolve the sulfoxite C. or hydrosulphite A. W. C.in the mixture.

The proportion of the paste with respect to the proportion of the vatdye can be as desired, and by way of example for a 5% Color Dyett-use 5%vat dye and 95% paste or for a 20% Color Dyett-use 20% vat dye andpaste. v

In block printing the designs on the rugs the procedure is much the sameas in the block piinting of ci'etonne or plushes, and other similarfabrics with the exception that more force is used when striking theblock, which iinpregnates the Dy'ettfurtlier into the pile, andcompresses and crushes the pile or knap of theprug to a considerabledepth at that point upon which the design is applied. A separate blockis used for each color applied. rl`he impression face of the block isformed of felt or any suitable absorbent material to readily take up theDyett supplied thereto from a pad.

After printing, the strip is passed through a shearing machine, in`Which a rapidly revolving, spiral bladed knife is employed to shear offthe knap or pile of the rug down to the same height of the knap or pilewhich has been compressed or crushed during the printing step.

After shearing, and carefully (not too sharply) drying, the strip ispassed by means of a leader, through a hydrosulphite rapid ager. In'thisager the vat color is reduced and impregnated thoroughly in 'the pile ofthat portion of the strip to which the vat color has been applied andwhich pile has been crushed or compressed by the piocess of blockprinting. Also, the ground or developed color, in this particularportion of the pile, is at the same time of the impregnation of the vatcolor, discharged or bleached out, and fur-ther a slight fixing ordevelopment of the vat color is started.

The strip is then passed over and under superposed, spaced sets ofrollers from a roller of an upper set to a roller of a lower set andvice versa, that is to say, going from the top to the bottom of theager. The strip enters the ager through an air seal and comes outthrough another air seal, being in the ager from three toV six minutes.The ager is heated to 216 to 218 F., and is iilled with moist live steambeing held at 15 to 171/2 pounds per square in. pressure, 14.7 pounds ofthis pressure being atmospheric.

Coming from the ager the strip is subjected from three to five minutesto an oxidizing bath of 1% solution of sodium perborate, in which afurther tixin or development of the vat dye is obtains after which it ispassed Without wringing into a soap and lusterizing bath, heated at 170oF. to 212 F. The bath is formed of 11% good grade soap, and 1A to 1/%lusterizing solution, such as saponified oil, or similar glycerine basesolution and in which the completion of the fixing or development of thevat dye is obtained and the strip prepared to obtain al sheen or lustrefrom a subsequent polishing strip is minut es, brushed,

The crushed or compressed pile gradually starts to rise at the beginningof the ageing of the strip, and continues to do so as the strip issubjected to the oxidizing` soaping, luterizing, polishing and brushingsteps until, at the end of the brushing step, it assumes its originalheight, whereby the de sign stands out in distinct relief as in embossedWork.

A cross stitch, or similar fancy colored thread stitch, is seived twiceacross each end of the rugs, -to keep them from unraveling, then thepile is brushed and iiuiled up and the rugs stored for shipping.

In the drawing 1 indicates the body of a pile fabric, such as a Rugett,provided with a developed ground color 2. The compressed or crushedportion of the pile on one surface and which provides the design coloredwith a vat dye' is indicated at 3, and 4 designates the design whichstands out in relief. The rows of cross stitching are indicated at 5, 6.

lVliat I claim is:

1. A process of decorating a pile fabric consisting in providing it witha developed ground coloi', compressing a portion of the pile on onesurface of the fabric to form a design and simultaneously applying a vatdye color to the portion of the pile being compressed, then shearing theremaining portion of the pile to the level of the coin pressed portion,and then discharging the developed ground color from the compressedportion of the pile and bringing the latter to the original heightthereof prior to compression.

2. A process of decorating a pile fabric consisting in providing thefabric with a developed ground color, compressing a portion of the pileon one surface of the fabric and simultaneously With compressingimpregnating the libre of said portion With a vat dye color of a colordifferent from the ground color, then shearing off the remaining portionof the pile of said surface to the level of said compressed portion,discharging the ground color from said compressed portion and restoringthe latter to its original height.

3. A process of decorating a pile fabric consisting in providing thefabric with a developed ground color, compressing a por tion of the pileon one surface of the fabric and simultaneously With compressingimpregnating the libre of said portion with a vat dye color of aYV colordifferent from the ground color, then shearing ofi1 the remainingportion of the pile of said surface to the level of said compressedportion, and then successively subjecting the fabrioto ageing,oxidizing, soaping and lusterizing baths to discharge the ground colorfrom the compressed portion, to develop the vat color, to restore thecompressed portion `to its original height and to .provide the fabricwith a sheen effect when submitted to a subsequent .polishing action.

4C. A. process of decorating a/ pile fabric consisting in providing thefabric throughout with a ground color, compressing a portion of the pileon one surface of the fabric and simultaneously with compressing of saidlpile portion impregnating the latter with a vat dye color of a colordifferent from the ground color, reducing the remainingportion of saidsurface to the level of the compressed portion thereof, developing thevat color and discharging the ground color from said compressed portion,oxidizing and applying a lusterizing agent to the fabric, and restoringthe said compressed portion to its original height during thedeveloping, discharging, oxidizing and lusterizing steps.

5. A process of decorating a pile fabric consisting in applying, undercompression,

a design in color to a portion of the pile of' one surface of the fabricthereby crushing such portion, then permanently reducing the height ofthe remaining'portion of the pile of said surface, and then restoringthe crushed portion of the pile to its original height, to set forth thedesign formed thereby in relief.

6. A. process of decorating a pile fabric consist-ing in impregnating,under a crushing action, the fibres of a portion of the pile of onesurface of the fabric with a vat dye to provide a design in color, thenpermanently reducing the height of the remaining portion of Jche pile ofsaid surface, and then fixing the color applied to and restoring to itsoriginal height said crushed portion whereby the design formed therebywill be set forth in relief.

ln testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

RBERT V. BRETT.

